Save on Back-To-School Supplies & Taking Steps Toward More Affordable Child Care

August 18, 2025


 
 

Dear Neighbor,

Here are the sections in today's email:

  • Sales Tax-Free Week
  • More Affordable & Accessible Child Care
  • Maternal & Infant Health Laws Signed Into Law
  • Gun Safety Bill Signed Into Law
  • Sign Up for CT Alert Emergency Notifications

Sales Tax-Free Week

Connecticut's annual Sales Tax-Free Week is underway and runs through Saturday, August 23. It provides a chance to save money, whether it is taking the kids back-to-school shopping or treating yourself or your loved ones. 

Highlights of Sales Tax-Free Week include:

  • Sales or purchases of certain clothing or footwear costing less than $100 per item are exempt from Connecticut's 6.35% sales tax.
  • Sales Tax-Free Week applies to purchases made in-store, online, mail-order, and over the phone.
  • This special exemption applies to purchases made from retailers located in Connecticut as well as from online retailers.

CLICK HERE for Frequently Asked Questions About Sales Tax-Free Week.
Exempt & Taxable Items During Sales Tax-Free Week

More Affordable & Accessible Child Care

Governor Ned Lamont, Majority Leader Jason Rojas, dedicated educators, tireless advocates, and so many others celebrated a historic step forward for families in Connecticut: a $300 million initial investment in the newly created Early Childhood Education Endowment.

This transformative program will help expand access to quality, affordable child care for families across the state. The endowment will be used to:

  • Expand capacity by adding tens of thousands of new child care slots in Connecticut’s state-funded system, allowing more children to enroll in high-quality early learning programs.
  • Provide free early childhood education to families enrolled in Early Start CT earning up to $100,000 annually, and ensure that no participating family pays more than 7% of their income for care.

This is just the beginning. In the years ahead, the Endowment will continue to grow through annual contributions from budget surpluses and strategic investments – ensuring that we build a lasting foundation for Connecticut's children and families.

Maternal & Infant Health Bills Signed Into Law
Health experts, advocates, and some of my colleagues applauded as Governor Lamont signed two maternal and infant health care bills into law. When mothers are supported, families and communities benefit. This critical legislation will support new mothers, babies, and fathers as they embark on a new chapter of the lives.

House Bill 7102 (Public Act 25-38):

  • Develops a strategy to increase birth centers and birthing hospitals in underserved regions of the state with a high percentage of Medicaid recipients.
  • Increases Medicaid reimbursement for doulas.
  • Expands the role of fathers in supporting maternal and infant health.

House Bill 7214 (Public Act 25-7): 

  • Establishes a task force to study perinatal health care, which will provide a report card for birth centers and hospitals providing maternity care.
  • Requires the Commissioner of Public Health to convene an advisory committee to study the pros and cons of doula-friendly practices in hospital and make related legislative recommendations.

We are continuing to lead the way in advancing health equity to make sure every parent, every family, and every baby can thrive here. By investing in the earliest stages of life, we not only safeguard the physical and emotional well-being of families, but we also strengthen our communities.

Gun Safety Bill Signed Into Law

The governor also signed a bill into law, introducing new measures aimed at reducing gun violence and increasing accountability within the firearm industry. It allows civil lawsuits against gun industry members who fail to act responsibly and strengthens firearm permit laws. 

Key provisions of the bill include:


Gun industry accountability:

  1. Enables civil lawsuits against gun manufacturers, distributors, and retailers who fail to exercise reasonable control over the marketing, sale, and distribution of their firearms.
  2. This makes Connecticut one of the few states allowing civil action against members of the firearm industry under state law.

Closing permit loopholes:

  1. Out-of-state convictions: Individuals convicted of crimes in other states that would be disqualifying in Connecticut are now also ineligible for firearm permits in the state.
  2. Applies to convictions within the past 8 years.

Age restriction expansion:

  • The prohibition on selling certain semi-automatic rifles to individuals under 21 now extends to private sales, not just sales by licensed dealers.

Connecticut is recognized as having some of the strongest gun laws in the U.S., and this bill is seen as a significant step toward enhanced public safety and industry accountability.

Sign Up for CT Alert Emergency Notifications

The Connecticut Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection (DESPP) is urging everyone to sign up for the CT Alert emergency notification system as extreme weather incidents continue to increase.

According to DESPP, more than 5,000 residents signed up for CT Alert over the last month — more than during any one of the last three years, bringing the total to nearly 226,000 people who have signed up for the emergency notifications.

DESPP offered a number of tips on how to prepare for potential severe weather:

  • Download the CTPrepares app for your mobile phone so you know how to prepare for any emergency.
  • Create an emergency kit to keep in your home so you are ready for any emergency.
  • Put together a “go bag” with copies of important documents, prescriptions, battery-operated radio, and other items such as a cell phone charger.
  • Make sure you have an evacuation plan, particularly if you live in a hurricane evacuation zone.

You can sign up for CT alert system online or by texting CTALERT to 888-777.